WBS.182
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
THE HOLY
SPIRIT - II
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in IAUE with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.
Yahushua had to
complete the job for which he came. He
had to suffer stripes to take away man’s sickness and disease. He had to die to
take away man’s sins. He had to rise
from the dead to conquer sin and death.
He had to be exalted to the right hand of IAUE in order to administer
his last will and testament, the New Covenant; and he had to send the promise
of His Father, the Holy Spirit, to be a companion residing within his
disciples.
In
the Gospel of John, chapters 13-16, we see Yahushua teaching his disciples one
last time before his arrest, trial and death.
Because Yahushua knew his time was very short, this was possibly his most
important instruction of all. They had
just shared their last Passover supper; and this was His last opportunity to prepare
them to be without his physical presence.
He
began by washing the feet of his disciples (including Judas), giving them an
example that would cement in their minds forever that humility is still the
most important quality of a disciple. It
was one of the very first things he taught them three years earlier; and one of
the last things he demonstrated for them.
Through humility, his disciples would understand their Masters next command
to love each other. Their love for each
other would mark them in the world as his disciples.
He
told them that he was going to go and prepare a place where they could be with
him forever. Then, the Master told them to believe in him; to believe in who he
is, where he is and what he is. A
seemingly peculiar command given that they had been with him for three years
and watched him do the impossible every single day; and yet, the Scripture
tells us that they didn’t really believe until the end of this evening’s
interaction with him.
Next,
Yahushua told them that if they believed in him, they would do the same works
he did; and even greater works. Now,
this part was not really new to them; because for quite some time, Yahushua had
given them the authority and power over sickness, disease and demons; and all of
them had been healing the sick and setting the oppressed free on a regular
basis. They had been doing this,
however, while the Master was physically present with them. They trusted in his word to them because he
was with them; but he is preparing them now to be without him. It would not have occurred to them that they
could continue to do his works when he was not physically around to certify
that authority and power was still available to them. This is why the Master
added a phrase to that declaration.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater
works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Messiah
told them that they would be able to continue to do his mighty works and
miracles, signs and wonders BECAUSE he was going to his Father. His returning unto his Father would satisfy a
condition that would enable something else to happen. He then told them four times over the next
several minutes how it is that they would be able to continue to do his works
even though he would no longer be with them in person.
John 14: 16 And I will pray the Father, and
he shall give you another Comforter,
that he may abide with you forever;
John 14:26 But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that
I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
The
first thing, therefore, that we can know with absolute assurance (that is, IF
we believe in Yahushua) is that receiving the Holy Spirit guarantees that we
will be able to continue to do the works that Yahushua did. Doing the works was
an intrinsic part of preaching the gospel. It demonstrated the authority and
power of the King and manifested the nature of his kingdom.
Acts 10:38 How Elohim
anointed Yahushua of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went
about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for IAUE
was with him.
Doing
the works of Yahushua was an inextricable part of preaching the gospel. Without the demonstration of the spirit and
power of the Kingdom, the message was just words.
1 Corinthians 2:2 And I,
brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony of Elohim.
2 For I
determined not to know anything among you, save Yahushua Messiah, and him
crucified.
3 And I
was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my
speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, but in the power of IAUE.
Romans 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of
any of those things which Messiah hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles
obedient, by word and deed,
19 Through mighty signs and
wonders, by the power of the Spirit of IAUE; so
that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached
the gospel of Messiah.
What
the church of Messiah, today, needs to understand is that despite every other
ministry and purpose of the Holy Spirit in the earth today (and there are
many), Messiah sent Him to us so we could continue to do his works…doing good
and healing all who are oppressed of the devil. The Holy Spirit is given to
enable the disciples, the believers in Yahushua Messiah, to advance the Kingdom
of IAUE in the earth by dispossessing the devil of his works. Yahushua conquered the kingdom of darkness
and led captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8; Colossians 2:15). We are to spread the news of that victory
into every area of the world and terminate the things the enemy is still doing
in rebellion against that victory. It is the enforcement of Messiah’s victory unto
which we are called.
The
term Messiah used three times for the Holy Spirit was “comforter.” That is an unfortunate translation. The word in the Greek, “parakletos” refers to one who
comes beside to represent you and to speak on your behalf, as a counselor at
law who represents you in court; an advocate who always has your best interests
at heart and can press them forward on your behalf. I suppose that IS comforting; but being a
comforter is not His job. Now, if this is all we glean from John 14-16, is that
He is called the parakletos, then we will think selfishly about His
occupation with us. The Holy Spirit does
not come to represent the interests of our flesh or our unrenewed mind. He is not given to make our dreams come
true. Just as Messiah refers to him
thrice as the praakletos;
he also thrice refers to him as:
John 14:17 the Spirit
of truth
John 15:26 the Spirit
of truth
John 16:13 the Spirit of truth
This
identity is further defined by Yahushua:
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he
will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but
whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to
come.
14 He
shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All
things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of
mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The
Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth, guides us into truth; specifically, the
truth of our inheritance as heirs and joint heirs with Messiah. Yahushua has inherited ALL THINGS THAT THE
FATHER HAS; and we who are IN MESSIAH, have inherited the same. So, as we go about doing the will of IAUE and
spreading the gospel of the Kingdom; the Holy Spirit is constantly confirming
to us that which we have in Messiah. We never find ourselves in a place of
inadequacy; because whatever the need is, the supply is in Yahushua Messiah;
and he is in us and we are in him; and the Holy Spirit comes alongside in every
situation and circumstance and says, “I’ve got this.” We never have to rely upon the flesh
again. We can walk “in the Spirit” and
accomplish all the will of IAUE and do all the works of Yahushua.
If
we are attacked with an illness or disease, the Spirit of Truth tells us, “Yahushua
has borne our sicknesses and carried all our diseases (Isaiah 53:4).” He speaks to us, “Bless IAUE oh my soul; and
all that is within me bless His holy name.
Bless IAUE, oh my soul and forget not all His benefits; who forgives all
our iniquities and heals all our diseases (Psalm 103:1-3)”
If
we are disobedient and ridden with guilt or shame, the Spirit of Truth reminds
us “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah
Yahushua, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Romans 8:1).” He
tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”
If
we are confronted with the sick or oppressed, the Spirit of Truth speaks to us “In
my name the believer shall cast out demons…and they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:17-18).”
There
is not a circumstance where the Spirit of Truth cannot draw from our inheritance
in Messiah Yahushua and show us that the provision for our every need is at our
disposal. The problem is most believers
really aren’t “believers.” They are
subscribers to a religious culture that is based upon certain “doctrines.” If we believe with the kind of conviction
where we are willing to put our life in the balance, then when the Spirit of
Truth brings to our remembrance the things of Yahushua that are also ours (which
are “all things that the Father has”), we are armed with exactly what we need
every single time.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in IAUE with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
No comments:
Post a Comment